She'll be playing two performances as part of this year's BIGSOUND – but before that, we got to know RAGEFLOWER a little better.
Who is RAGEFLOWER...
People call me Mads and RAGEFLOWER is a project I started a few years ago as a sort of protest against the bands I was in at the time which were full of men calling all the shots. I felt I wasn't ever able to execute my vision as an artist, and so I chose to create my own project where I got to be the creative lead and it was the best decision I ever made. This year I'm releasing my first EP "INFINITE HIGHS, END OF TIMES".
I sound like...
I'd say I sound like if Chappell Roan and The Japanese House had a love child who went through a punk phase.
My first gig was...
My first gig as RAGEFLOWER was at Metro Social on a fun uni band lineup, I can't remember who played but I was really nervous but loved it.
Do you have any queer influences, musical or otherwise?
I LOVE MUNA, and am a huge Boygenius fan. I think queer people make the best music/art because they are naturally people who have dared to understand themselves on a deeper level. When you come to know and accept yourself, you can reach into parts of yourself for inspiration others might not dare to reach for.
In the studio I usually...
Annoy my producers with vocal stims.
If I could tour with anyone...
If I could tour with anyone, I would tour with Mannequin Pussy.
Social media is...
A necessary evil.
My favourite app at the moment is (why?)...
My period tracking app Stardust – it tells me when to anticipate mood swings and chocolate cravings, I always appreciate the heads up.
To date, my most embarrassing moment was the time...
Life is too short and our brains too precious to store embarrassment data - I choose to wipe those memories and pretend they never happened.
Life on the road can be...
Stimulating and time-expanding. I find when I'm travelling I am more present because there are always new things to perceive.
If you'll have me on your bill, all I ask is that my rider contains...
Diet Coke and Caramello Koalas.
The most scary scenario I've found myself in, was...
I shot a music video out in the sticks in this haunted looking tiny church on a dirt road. On the drive home my phone died and there was torrential rain like nothing I'd ever experienced. Definitely thought I was a goner driving down the darkest road possible with no street lights and no idea which direction I was going.
What celebrity/ famous person would you love to be spokesperson of the band (why?)...
Jack Black, because he gets it.
If you had to live in a city abroad, where would you choose and why?
I would love to live in Tokyo, I think it's the coolest city on earth.
Three people you'd like to invite around for a dinner party (why?)...
I'd like to have Matty Healy and Taylor Swift over to suss the vibes and Phoebe Bridgers there to mediate any potential conflict.
If we were coming over to your place, what would you cook us?
I would cook rigatoni alla vodka.
When it comes to pets are you a lover or hater of our furry friends?
I am a big lover of furry friends. I have a cat whose birth name is Special Agent Cooper but who I call Mr Poogins, and he's basically everything to me. Obsessed is an understatement.
No matter the expense, send me a case of...
Diet Coke.
What's the one chore you dislike the most?
Dishes, I do not like touching soggy food. It's not okay.
Do you have any phobias... please explain?
Soggy food. Texture.
Would you ever partake in a reality show? If so, what type?
I wouldn't, because I don't trust tv producers, but I REALLY enjoy watching them.
Best local takeaway joint for a midnight feed that will leave you with a food coma?
Mr Yeeros in Newtown. . . Perfect late night feed.
Which fictional character best describes your personality (why)?
I think Sailor Moon captures my energy well, I am a big cry baby, hungry all the time and a drama queen – but when it matters most I will lock in and fight against evil.
Last show you binge-watched (and what kept you glued to the screen)?
I am currently binge-watching a Korean cooking show called 'Culinary Class Wars' on Netflix and I can't look away. It's so dramatic and emotional (just like me) and the food they make is incredible.
What sorts of messages do you want to send to your listeners through your music?
I want my listeners to accept and love themselves, and to feel powerful in owning themselves. I think that will be my life's message through art – self-realisation. I want my listeners to feel okay with who they are and what they're feeling, and to maybe feel a little less alone.
RAGEFLOWER plays Black Bear Lodge 2 September and The Brightside 4 September as part of BIGSOUND in Brisbane.
